The LLM programmes at Kent are well under way. It’s already week 5 and most of the LLM scholar here at Kent, including myself, are settling in to postgraduate life. What follows is a brief review of what has been going on which I hope will be both useful and informative for those considering postgraduate study at Kent.
Induction Week
Induction week is the start of your time at Kent; you will be formally admitted to the University, attend introductory sessions ran by the LLM Programme Convenors, explore the University and have the chance to socialize with future classmates.
The week began with a welcome talk where we were introduced to some of the LLM Programme Convenors and the Postgraduate Administration Team.
We were then given a tour of the Law Schools facilities which included the LLM postgraduate teaching, seminar and computer rooms. Postgraduates have access to all of the University’s study areas, such as the main library (Templeman Library) and the college computer rooms, as well as having access to other facilities designed specifically for postgraduates such as the postgraduate common room and silent study area. The LLM postgraduate computer room can only be accessed by LLM scholars which presents the opportunity to socialize with classmates from different LLM programmes and create your own study groups. In effect it gives LLM scholars their own space while also encouraging collaboration among Academic Schools via the postgraduate common room.
As part of the programme of introductory sessions and events for new LLM Scholars we also met with Ben Watson, the Academic Liaison Law Libarian, who gave a tour of Templeman library and an presentation on how to access electronic resources. We were also informed of training sessions on computer-assisted legal research services which run throughout the academic year. Therefore, there is no excuse to prevent you from mastering your research skills: a skill that not only the Law School but also law firms increasingly view as critical considering that most firms are reliant on some form of computer-assisted legal research service whether it be LexisNexis or Practical Law Company. We also attended talks on further Legal Research and Writing Skills Training, Graduate Studies Workshops, LLM Presentation Day, Special Lectures and Conferences and Kent’s Law School Research Community.
We then met with the LLM Programme Convenors. This was the time to introduce yourself to your convenor and learn more about them in an informal setting as well as address any questions specific to your programme before the module fair. At the module fair Convenors introduced themselves, their modules and ‘module clusters’. This is particularly useful as it takes place prior to the first week of term where you are able to attend all of the course’s specific to your programme before making a final decision on which ones you will enrol. The week closed with a Drinks Reception hosted by the directors of postgraduate study whereby we were given the opportunity to socialize with future classmates and programme convenors.
Postgraduate Seminars
In the first seminar of one of my modules, Intellectual Property Law, we were presented with a quote from Professor Andrew Herman, a sociologist at Drake University in the United States. Here is what he had to say on class participation in seminars:
“My basic pedagogical philosophy is that ‘knowledge’ is the fruit of the effervescence of discussion and dialogue between people who are willing to be changed, however slightly, by what they hear and speak. For this change of heart and mind called ‘learning’ to take place, you must actively participate in class. Although I will take the lead in conjuring the space of dialogue and giving form to the discussion, as well as sometimes lecturing in order to explain difficult concepts, the success of this course for you individually and the class as a whole depend on your willingness and desire to be responsible for your own education by being prepared for and participating in class.”
Typically seminars are a mix of lecturing and class participation lead by the module convenor. I agree with William White , I think Professor Andrew Herman neatly sums up the approach to LLM postgraduate teaching here at Kent, at least in my modules so far – International Commercial Law with Medical Law. Module convenors are not here to ‘spoon-feed’ LLM scholars rather they represent a wealth of knowledge for you to tap into. I was pleasantly surprised by how encouraging my module convenors have been in regards to exploring my own specific interests within the modules I have chosen and how readily they are to help in guiding you in terms of developing those interests.
LLM Research and Writing Skills
The LLM Research and Writing Skills Training Module is compulsory and, despite my initial reservations, rightly so. It’s here to help you develop your research and writing skills and introduce you to the academic approaches here at Kent. The first session ‘Introducing the English Legal System’ was particularly useful for international student who may have completed their undergraduate studies outside of the UK. The talk given by Sebastian Payne however, on the UK Constitution, was beneficial for all and was both interesting and stimulating. It was interesting to hear the perspectives of other students from civil law backgrounds in contrast to students with common law backgrounds. So far we have had two other training sessions on critical reading of English legal texts and a session on the various traditions of Critical Legal Thinking. Postgraduates are also actively encouraged to book themselves onto other workshops that they think may be beneficial through The Graduate Studies Workshops Series which provides workshops as diverse as ‘Essay Writing Skills’ to ‘Being a Leader – First Lead Myself’.
You can also apply for the Global Skills Award. The programme takes place in November and I will provide updates as it progresses. This year’s programme includes lecture topics, such as:
• The wisdom of psychopaths
• State Terrorism in the 21st Century: the globalisation of rendition, secret detention and torture
• Pompeii in global context: archaeology’s ‘brand’ for a world audience
• Has the Eurozone crisis strengthened or weakened the EU
It also includes practical workshops to help develop your career opportunities as well as acquire the skills you need to succeed in the workplace. Examples include:
• Interview skills
• CV and cover letter writing
• Leadership
• Presentation skills
• Team working
Guest Lectures
If that wasn’t enough to keep you busy there is also an abundance of guest lectures that take place. In some instances dinner’s with guest lecturer take place afterwards which you can also attend providing the opportunity to discuss a particular topic and engage with research presented by speakers. I also think it’s great that you’re not limited by your specialism so that you can register for any lecture that appeals to you. Here’s a few lectures that have recently taken place (* indicates dinner took place afterwards):
“From Fujimori to Accomarca: Contention and Conundrums in Domestic Human Rights Prosecutions in Peru”, Professor Jo-Marie Burt of George Mason University*
The Privatisation of Biodiversity? New Approaches to Nature Conservation Law, Dr Walters Nsoh of the University of Dundee
A Likely Story: Conceptualising the Future in UK HIV Law, 1996-2004, Dr Emily Grabham of the University of Kent
Portraits of Cassandra as a business-woman and as a worker – the emergence of a legal protection for whistle-blowers in France , Olivier Leclerc, research fellow at CNRS (France), Centre de Recherches Critiques sur le Droit.
There is also a programme of guest lectures offered by the University of Kent’s Centre for Law, Gender and Sexuality, the Centre for Critical International Law and the Centre for European and Comparative Law. I will be later providing brief reviews on some of the guest lectures I have attended.